Comparison of metabolic, oxidative and inflammatory status of Simmental × Holstein crossbred with parental breeds during the peripartal and early lactation periods.

The aim of the research reported in this paper was to evaluate plasma concentrations of energy, oxidative and inflammatory biomarkers of Simmental (sire) × Holstein (dam) crossbred cows, in comparison with the two parental breeds during the peripartal and early lactation periods and to estimate the effects of heterosis for these traits. Thirty-three animals, managed under the same conditions, 8 Simmental (SI), 9 Holstein (HO) and 16 crossbred (CR) cows were enrolled in this study. Glucose, non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), ß-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), total bilirubin, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), creatine kinase (CK), total protein, albumin, creatinine and urea were determined in blood sampled at six different time points (30 ± 3 and 15 ± 3 d before the expected calving date, at calving and 15, 30 and 60 d after calving). Furthermore, derived reactive oxygen metabolites (d-ROMs), biological antioxidant potential (BAP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), haptoglobin (Hp) and serum amyloid A protein (SAA) were determined to evaluate inflammatory and oxidative status. Results showed that the CR group had significantly lower average values of glucose and NEFA when compared to HO group; signifcantly lower values of urea than SI group and significantly higher values of creatinine than HO. Furthermore, CR cows showed the lowest average value of d-ROMs with respect to SI and HO parental breeds. Finally, the average value of haptoglobin was significantly lower in CR and HO groups, when compared to SI group. As for the heterosis we found the highest (positive) percentage for CK (98%) and BAP (47%) and the lowest (negative) percentage for OSi (-75%) and d-ROMs (-39%). A negative percentage was also found for the glucose (-11%) and NEFA (-20%) toward the Simmental parental breed. Our results suggest a different response among the three genetic groups during the peripartal and early lactation periods. In particular, CR and SI cows seem more adaptable regarding energy metabolism and oxidative status. Heterosis led to a positive effect on those parameters in Simmental (sire) × Holstein (dam) crossbred cows F1 population (50% Simmental and 50% Holstein).

Effect of the Season on Blood Changes of Oxidative Stress Index in the Italian Mediterranean Buffalo (Bubalis bubalis).

Studies in cattle have shown that high temperatures increase the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) causing an imbalance between ROS and the ability of antioxidant systems to detoxify and remove the reactive intermediates. As such studies remain limited in buffalo, the effect of temperature on oxidative stress was investigated through the oxidative stress index (OSi). Blood samples were collected from 40 buffaloes over 12 time points distributed over two years (2021, 2022). Samples were taken monthly during the hot and cold seasons. Plasma free oxygen radicals were determined using the d-ROMs test (Diacron, Italy), modified for a microplate procedure, and the results were expressed in arbitrary Carratelli Units (U.CARR). Plasma antioxidants were determined by using the BAP test (Diacron) in a dedicated spectrophotometer (Carpe Diem Free, Diacron). The OSi parameter was calculated as d-ROMs/BAP × 100. Temperature and humidity were recorded daily during the trial to calculate the Temperature Humidity Index (THI). For statistical analysis, year and season and their interactions were included in the model. The results of this study showed for the first time the effect of season on the oxidative stress in buffalo. The minimum and maximum THI values for the hot and cold season recorded during the experimental period were 79.27 ± 2.20 and 63.42 ± 3.20, respectively. Levels of d-ROMs and BAP were affected by the seasons (133.0 vs. 145.1 U.CARR, p = 0.0189, and 2489.19 vs. 2392.43 mml/L, p = 0.033, in the hot and cold season, respectively). A significant year × season interaction was found both for d-ROMs and BAP (p = 0.06 and p < 0.0001, respectively). Moreover, OSi was affected by season, showing a growing trend from hot to cold season (5.35 vs. 6.17, p < 0.0001), but, interestingly, it was unaffected by annual variation. Therefore, Osi could be considered a better and independent marker of oxidative status in buffalo, with respect to the evaluation of single determinations of d-ROMs and BAP. Lastly, there were no differences in the plasma 25OHD levels between seasons; concentrations were 12.24 and 10.26 ng/mL in the hot and cold season, respectively.

Differences in Tibia Shape in Organically Reared Chicken Lines Measured by Means of Geometric Morphometrics.

In the present study, the conformation of the tibia of seven genetic lines of broilers was analyzed by Geometric Morphometrics and correlated to carcass weight and walking ability. The used chicken genetic lines were classified as fast, medium, or slow growing and ranked for their walking ability. Six chicken types were reared in an organic farm and slaughtered at 81 days of age while one slow-growing and highly walking line (Naked Neck) was reared in a commercial farm and used as external reference for moving activity and growth speed. A mixed landmarks and semi-landmarks model was applied to the study of tibia shape. Results of this study showed that: (i) body weight gain was positively correlated to the curvature of the antero-posterior axis of the tibia; (ii) the shape of the tibia and the active walking behavior were significantly correlated; (iii) walking and not-walking genetic lines could be discriminated in relation to the overall shape of the tibia; (iv) a prevalence of static behavior was correlated to a more pronounced curvature of the antero-posterior axis of the tibia. Results of this study revealed that the walking genetic types have a more functional and natural tibia conformation. This easy morphologic method for evaluating tibia shape could help to characterize the adaptability of genotypes to organic and outdoor rearing.

Increasing the Sustainability of Maize Grain Production by Using Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Does Not Affect the Rumen of Dairy Cattle (Bos taurus) and Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis).

New approaches are needed to improve the sustainability of feed production and utilization by ruminants. Promising approaches include increased use of buffaloes for more sustainable milk production, and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) to reduce crop production input needs. However, studies assessing the effect of crops grown in the presence of AMF on rumen microbial utilization are limited. Based on current knowledge, we hypothesized that maize grain grown on AMF-inoculated soil affected ruminal fermentation and microbiota, and that this effect differed between buffalo and cattle. A dietary cross-over study (four weeks per diet) was conducted using rumen-cannulated cattle (n = 5) and buffalo (n = 6) to assess the effect of maize grain (3.9% (w/v) of diet) grown on soil with or without AMF (15 kg/ha) on ruminal fermentation and microbiota. Production of maize on AMF-treated soil did not affect any of the assessed ruminal fermentation parameters, microbial concentrations, or prokaryotic community composition (using prokaryotic 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis). In contrast, host type had numerous effects. Protozoal counts, lactate, total VFA and isobutyrate, were significantly higher in buffaloes compared to cattle. Conversely, butyrate was significantly lower in buffaloes than in cattle. Host type explained 9.3% of the total variation in prokaryotic community composition, and relative abundance of nine amplicon sequence variants significantly differed between host types. These findings indicate that AMF treatment of maize crops has no detrimental impact on the value of the resulting maize grains as a ruminant feed, and provides additional insight into rumen-based differences between cattle and buffalo.